as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the scuffle escalated into a hammer-and-tongs fight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sharply
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hammer-and-tongs
Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 16 July 2024
The two conservative groups that brought the case were targeted by Harris in 2012-13, right around the time the IRS was going hammer and tongs after Tea Party groups.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 1 July 2021
Two teams who seem destined to slug it out in the lower reaches of the table this season going hammer and tongs at each other never makes for a good watch.
—SI.com, 18 Sep. 2019
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 2019
With two moderate Pyrenean climbs, Thursday’s Stage 12 from Toulouse, where cassoulet and rugby are both big, wasn’t tough enough for Thomas and his rivals to go at each other hammer and tongs.
—Washington Post, 18 July 2019
The way to stand out from the others is to go hammer and tongs for the opponents’ jugulars, or to try to sound more extreme than the others.
—Jim Jones, idahostatesman, 18 May 2018
Adverb
In 1971, authors Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal went at it hammer and tongs live on late-night TV in a showdown that allegedly spilled over into violence.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 16 July 2024
The two conservative groups that brought the case were targeted by Harris in 2012-13, right around the time the IRS was going hammer and tongs after Tea Party groups.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 1 July 2021
Two teams who seem destined to slug it out in the lower reaches of the table this season going hammer and tongs at each other never makes for a good watch.
—SI.com, 18 Sep. 2019
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 2019
With two moderate Pyrenean climbs, Thursday’s Stage 12 from Toulouse, where cassoulet and rugby are both big, wasn’t tough enough for Thomas and his rivals to go at each other hammer and tongs.
—Washington Post, 18 July 2019
The way to stand out from the others is to go hammer and tongs for the opponents’ jugulars, or to try to sound more extreme than the others.
—Jim Jones, idahostatesman, 18 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammer-and-tongs
Adjective
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While confronting their violent history, a brutal bar fight and deadly feud reignites between Thomas, Ben, and the notorious Five Points Gang.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2025
-
That career has been highlighted by some of the most violent fights in MMA history.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Jones, still vigorous at seventy-two, moves through space with ferocious intent while conjuring stories from the past: early dance sensations, tense interactions with the legendary Ailey, and clashes with critics who tried to box him in as a Black artist.—
Shauna Lyon,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2025
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Friction point: Community groups like the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Franklin Park Defenders have been ferocious in opposing the revamp, questioning the cost, traffic and the loss of a public asset to a private interest.—
Mike Deehan,
Axios,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
After the goalless draw in one of soccer’s fiercest rivalries, the Portuguese manager was yet again outspoken in his press conference.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
25 Feb. 2025
-
The game between the fierce rivals was halted after 52 minutes due to fans throwing flares onto the pitch.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Adverb
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While Patel is fiercely loyal to Trump, his message Saturday was a rebuke to Musk, who has had the ear of the president since the 2024 campaign.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Firefly exemplifies how innovation and responsibility can coexist, even in a fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving market.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
But the impact goes far beyond playful patriotism — Canadians are furious.—
Kaleigh Rogers,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Mugler was furious, and the two didn’t speak for several years, eventually reconciling in the 1990s.—
Joelle Diderich,
WWD,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The 1999 killing Syed and Lee both attended Woodlawn High School and had dated, broken up, reunited and broken up again in a relationship an appeals court described as turbulent.—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC News,
27 Feb. 2025
-
His childhood was turbulent—his parents' frequent fights sometimes turned physical, with his father directing his frustrations at young Gene.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The Trump administration has expressed interest in other minerals like lithium, graphite, and titanium, but these are based on rough mineral estimates.—
Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
While New York City as a whole is safer than most other metropolises, pockets of especially rough neighborhoods are unsafe, particularly for young men.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Buy Now on Amazon innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Get ready for a serious detox with this volcanic clay mask straight from Jeju Island.—
Maria Correa,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Firefly touched down inside its 100-meter (330-foot) target zone in Mare Crisium near a volcanic dome named Mons Latreille, which has sat dormant for billions of years after volcanic activity ceased on the Moon.—
Tim Stevens,
Ars Technica,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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